Backfire
by Gentle Rainbow
Summary: Inspired by the awesomeness of his TYL self and Vongola Primo, Sawada Tsunayoshi, at the ripe old age of 25, decided to forfeit his life …oops, I mean… to reform the Vongola. "All27" wait, why is Tsuna trembling in fear?
1. Enemies?

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.

_Italic for Dream/ thought/subconscious._

This is a semi-sequel to "Two Can Play at This Game." Please check out my other Reborn fanfics if there is any unclear reference. This is ten years into a peaceful future where our Tsuna and his guardians had gone through all the trials and gotten used to their Mafia roles at the age of 24-25. All of Byakuran's prophesies are taken directly from the anime during his epic fight with Tsuna . A humorous tribute to KHR! Well, have fun and let me know what you think!

**

* * *

**

**BACKFIRE:**

**Chapter 1: Enemies?**

_A glowing Byakuran was descending from the heavens in his fluttering white robe. His pristine wings glistened in the warm halo surrounding his lean body. And, Tsuna stood there, gaping at the heavenly messenger, a.k.a. former enemy. His chocolate orbs were filled with the kind of boundless grace and profound understanding only a person, who has dealt with the 'dysfunctional' Vongola Famiglia on a daily basis, could ever harness. After 10 years of being the Vongola Boss, Tsuna would gladly meet Byakuran again in the battlefield of his time traveling fourteen-year-old self instead of facing his 'wonderful' guardians and allies. _

"_Hello there, Tsunayoshi-kun! You've grown taller, I'm glad!" The marshmallow loving leader spoke, and the surrounding angels, who looked strangely like his usual subordinates, sang. The Vongola Boss smiled at the remark; there was no fear in his mind as he greeted the serene Byakuran._

"_I have come to deliver you five prophesies or warnings if you will. Only one per night though, in your dream. Here's the first: Your ancestor likes to mess around. Please be careful, Tsunayoshi-kun! Alas, I have told you these warnings before in our battle, but you did not listen…" A smiling Byakuran declared sincerely as he gestured toward their surrounding which looked exactly like the location of their last battle. _

_Tsuna felt tears swelling up in his eyes; his hands reached out to the fading halo of his angelic savior…_

The alarm clock next to his bed shrieked in a way that would put all banshees to shame and successfully tore the twenty-four-year-old boss out of his blissful escape in dreamland. The brunette stumbled to begin his morning routine while trying to shake off a part of him that wistfully wanted to follow Byakuran.

* * *

It was only ten in the morning and the first break he had from signing paperwork was to listen to complaints. A Vongola subordinate stood shakily in front of him as the man tried to recall what he had come to report.

"Umm, do you have something you'd like to tell me?" Since no one had ever appeared before him with such visible trepidation, a slightly confused Tsuna gently prodded the trembling figure.

"X…x…xan… Xan…xus…" The young man managed to utter, and the brunette boss nodded his head in empathy. _Yeah, I wouldn't want to see Xanxus either, but things need to get done._

"What happened to the other messenger? I thought I asked for two people to deliver the invitation to Xan… I mean you-know-who." Tsuna quickly paused and avoided using the Varia leader's name right before his subordinate could go into cardiac arrest.

"He's in the hospital right now, trying to recover. The doctors aren't quite sure how long he'll have to stay there… He was the one who told Xa… him the request from you, Boss." The poor guy started to shiver uncontrollably.

"Ano, did he give you an answer? Will he attend the Vongola's annual meeting tonight?" The sweet boss hesitantly asked for more information while feeling bad for his subordinate.

"It's a very definite no. I can't recall wh…at… happened… exactly… but it was really clear he refused to come. I think the Sun guardian and Lussuria promised to contact Captain Squalo and see what he can do about the meeting…" The frightened man looked ready to either flee or curl into a fetal position right there. Tsuna was ready to dismiss him as the fearful man spoke up again.

"Can I go now, Boss? I have a therapy session after this… And, here are the bills the Varia leader and the hospital want you to settle." The second the Tenth inclined his head, the young subordinate made a mad dash for the office door.

Before the brunette boss could exhale in relief, the bills he was given immediately took his breath away. It was undoubtedly a miracle that so far, Tsuna did not have to sell the Vongola's Italian Base to pay for the damages and reconstruction costs. But, Kami-sama above, this was getting ridiculous. _Why, oh why, whose brilliant idea was it to have the annual Vongola summit on the eve of my birthday? Wait, wasn't it Dad's? Isn't he supposed to love me, and not torture me?_

* * *

One hour later, the ever elusive illusionist made his way into Tsuna's office. As Mukuro stood proudly before him, the Vongola Decimo choked back a sob.

"Hello, Tsuna-kun! Long time no see. I'm here to fulfill my promise to possess your body one of these days. You still remember that, right? Are you ready?" The Mist guardian grinned confidently at his victim; his mismatch eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Mukuro, the answer is still no! Please go away! I have enough problems to deal with right now." Tsuna responded automatically without looking up from his documents.

"Are you sure about this, Tsuna-kun? I know you have troubles finding a life partner and all. So, let me take over and it'll be a breeze, eh? With my experiences in the previous reincarnations, I could help you work out this sexual frustration, do amazing things in…" Mukuro stopped mid-sentence as Tsuna's pen rolled out of the shocked boss' limp grip.

Tsuna was having a hard time coping with the fact that his Mist guardian had just discussed his sad love life and offered sexual gratification as an incentive for the taking over of his body. With his chocolate orbs almost popped out of their socket, the young boss started sputtering nonsensical phrases to convey his disbelief. The puzzled illusionist left his office after asking the stammering boss to give his offer a bit more thought.

Down the hallway, the mischievous Mist met up with Chrome. As they walked toward the mansion's backyard, Mukuro decided to tell his friend what happened.

"I don't know, Chrome. I tried to be nice to Tsuna-kun as you suggested, but that did not seem to work. He said no… Maybe I should've given him some examples of what I can do… Some advices, too. Seeing as the poor thing is still a virgin…" Chrome simply nodded her head adoringly as her idol pondered on his next step. After all, she already knew who would be the perfect person for her shy boss. (_Two Can Play at This Game_)

* * *

Back in the Vongola Boss' office, Tsuna had finally managed to catch his breath when Hibari stepped into the chamber with his ever loyal Tetsu. The brunette almost groaned in pain at the sudden appearance of his two most volatile guardians on the same day, but luckily, he soon realized the fact that they actually showed up for the Vongola's annual meeting as requested was his good news. Taking advantage of this situation, Tsuna bravely ventured to inquire about the mission the skylark had recently agreed to complete.

"So, you want to know what happened. It'll cost you to hear it. A thousand euros for each word I say. Are you willing to pay?" The Cloud narrowed his sharp eyes and Tsuna swallowed hard.

"Yes, Hibari-san." There were a few things in life that Tsuna could never get over; one of them was the former prefect. Besides, it was simply easier to accept his terms than to fight the Foundation leader.

"I bit them all to death. End of story." Hibari haughtily deliver the two lines from his seat on the sofa in front of Tsuna's desk. "And, that'll be ten thousand euros." Behind him, Tetsu was discreetly counting the number of words his leader used.

Now, Tsuna understood for a matter of fact that he was terrible at math, but he could be quite confident with his counting skill. After going over the number three times in his head and with his fingers, he was sure of the skylark's miscalculation. The problem was whether he had the guts to contradict the former prefect and to deal with the consequences.

"Here you go, Hibari-san. Please take this to the treasury downstairs to collect your payment." The don sighed softly as he handed the check to the indifferent Cloud. In the end, Tsuna decided to take the high-road, or more frankly, the road with the least injuries.

Closing the office door behind them, Tetsu noticed the independent guardian looking vaguely disappointed. After receiving their amount from a fearful treasurer, he ventured a question to probe his leader's mood.

"What do you want to do with this money, Kyo-san? We don't have any urgent need for it right now." The skylark glanced at his loyal right-hand-man and then at the cash with little interest.

"Deposit half into our treasury. The other half you and the others can spend as you please. I just wanted to rile that herbivore into giving me a good fight. Disappointing reaction, though." Hibari leisurely replied as his thoughts drifted away from the dull surrounding.

"I guess I can buy something nice for that Bucking Horse…" He muttered softly to himself as the independent Cloud stared at the platinum band around his left ring finger. October had come; it was already five months since he accepted this ring. Quickly, his melancholic mood dispersed as the air crackled with invisible tension. The fearsome skylark smirked as he and Tetsu entered the mansion's grand garden.

"Sakura boy, what a pleasant surprise!" The pineapple head offered a sly smile in greetings. Hibari whipped out his collapsible tonfas as Mukuro ran forth with his trident. Ten years passed and nothing much had changed about their violent rivalry. Chrome and Tetsu took their respective seat and waited patiently for the two beloved leaders to ease their blood-thirst.

The sounds of destruction soon reached Tsuna whose office's window overlooked the beautiful backyard garden. The young boss gave up on his paperwork as his Cloud and Mist guardian thoughtlessly leveled the landscaped backyard.

* * *

Having grown used to Hibari and Mukuro's violent antics, the young boss gave in to his tiredness and took a quick nap on his mahogany desk. Somewhere in the back of his head, there was an important meeting taking place.

Tsuna's inner self emerged with the same appearance and personality of his fourteen-year-old self. He timidly took a few small steps into the well-lit arena inside Tsuna's subconscious. To his right, a surly looking twenty-four-year-old version of himself stood silently with his back leaning against a white wall. On top of this sullen figure's head was the Vongola flame. Tsuna's inner self had a feeling that this tough guy was his Hyper-dying-will mode.

"Stop staring!" The bigger Tsuna commanded emotionlessly. "And, address me as Sir Ego at all time." He added proudly after five minutes of awkward silence. Before Tsuna's inner self could say a word, Sir Ego gave him a death-glare while resuming his sulking pose. The smaller Tsuna was not surprised by this treatment; Sir Ego was the inevitable product of his ten years long overdosing on Hyper Dying Will pills.

"Aah, the strong silent type. Now, this is what I'd proudly call my heir, Vongola Decimo!" The Vongola Primo walked into the chamber, patted Sir Ego in the back and fussed over the awesomeness of Sir Ego's pure dying-will flame.

"Ahem… Over there, Primo." The Secondo rolled his eyes and pointed at Tsuna's inner self hiding in the corner. The First Vongola blinked in confusion; his burning fire flickered uncertainly. The Second Vongola dragged Tsuna's inner self into the light and deposited him three feet apart from his alter ego who was now formally dubbed Sir Ego.

"Oh hey, Tsuna! I did not recognize you for a second there." The First smiled awkwardly; it was evident that he preferred Sir Ego over the real Tsuna. After all, who could resist a tough guy with ice-cold eyes and a literally blazing head?

"You know, Tsuna, it's time for you to assert yourself to your famiglia. Show them who the boss around here is. I cannot stand how that bastard Xanxus and your guardians are treating you! My descendant will not be walked all over like that!" The Primo addressed Sir Ego and little Tsuna, shaking his head in disapproval and outrage.

"No, no, it's all right, Vongola Primo. I'm okay with what I have. I don't want to be assertive or anything else." Tsuna's inner self quickly tried to appease his ancestor. He did not particularly care to assert his authority as the Vongola Boss.

"I agree with you, Giotto." Sir Ego, on the other hand, seemed to have a different opinion. Casting the smaller Tsuna a disdainful look, he coolly nodded at the Primo's suggestion. The First was about to squeal in happiness, but he noticed the Second was rolling his eyes.

"Ah, your one sentence is music to my ears, Sir Ego. Although speech impairment can be detrimental, I believe, in this case, your inability to speak more than one sentence at a time will be beneficial to the Vongola Boss' persona. It adds an air of mystery and…" The Primo gestured adoringly at Sir Ego as he searched for another appropriate characteristic.

"Incompetence to your overly inflated head." The Secondo stopped chuckling to insert his description. Tsuna's inner self wondered where this discussion was going as he inched away from Sir Ego.

"Be quiet, traitor! Back to what I was saying, when I was your age, all my guardians were kowtowing to my every need and whim. Just ask G!" The First Vongola proudly asserted while the Second snorted loudly.

"As if, sore loser! Remember Daemon Spade and my coup d'etat? Are you still high on opium? God, now I know why the Vongola could not make it in the drug business under your reign. You were too busy hoarding them all to yourself!" The Second Vongola Boss stared at his predecessor as if he was having a life-changing epiphany.

"Shut up! That's… not… true! Regardless, I have a plan for you to wrestle power back from those so-called allies and reform the Vongola. Do you know why Xanxus refused to attend the annual summit?" The First blushed profusely before covering it up by adopting a conspiratorial tone.

"Because he can and there's nothing your little heir could do about it?" The Second answered while looking at their young audience. Sir Ego seemed to have dozed off with his closed eyes and frowning brows. Tsuna's inner self spaced out.

"Wrong! It's because he fears you, Tsuna. So afraid in fact, that he could not stand to meet you in person or be in the same room with you all these years." The First suddenly grabbed the smaller Tsuna and shook his slender shoulders violently to emphasize the point.

"Next, listen to what Mukuro said. He's desperate enough to offer you sexual favors. He's vulnerable. Now is the time for you to take full advantage of that." The passionate speaker released Tsuna's inner self's shoulders and went on to lecture about Mukuro.

"There's also Hibari who is resorting to extortion. That's the lowest form of Mafia work. He needs you and the money badly. Without your support, he will not survive financially." Sir Ego opened his eyes. A minute of silent communication between the First and Sir Ego later, the two nodded sagely.

"Besides, my feelings are always right. My intuition is infallible and fool-proofed. Was I not the first Vongola, the founder and leader of our magnificent Famiglia?" The Primo was quite pleased with his public speaking skills. It was so exciting, no difference from the time he and G incited a rebellion among angry workers.

"Sure, also the guy who escaped to Japan. Speaking of feelings, are they the same ones you told Spade about when you and your groupies met up for the Tenth's inheritance box weapon thing? 'My feelings remain unchanged'? Not what I'd call a smart thing to say to the one who betrayed you!" The Secondo looked up from where he was admiring his guns, smirking condescendingly.

"These are all leverages you can use to pressure them. You have to outsmart these violence-prone simpletons. Look out the window, don't you see they're fighting each other mercilessly? Your enemies are divided, conquer them now. There's absolutely no way they can work together to oppose you." The First promptly ignored his successor in favor of speaking to Sir Ego.

"Would 'you girls' stop overanalyzing this whole thing?" The Secondo, for some unknown reasons, decided to be the voice of reason and tried to dissuade the group. Alas, the Primo had already huddled up with Tsuna's inner self and Sir Ego to explain the steps of his master plan.

"Are you with me, Tsuna? Sir Ego is ready to execute this plan. You only need to follow my fool-proofed strategy. What do you mean "no"? Listen to me, your ancestor, damn it! Aren't Asian kids supposed to obey and respect their elder unconditionally?" The Primo yelled at the smaller Tsuna. Between the First Boss who was carried away by his self-righteous anger and a very intimidating Sir Ego, inner Tsuna gave in when their flaming heads got too closed for comfort.

"Mark my words! Your plan is going to backfire, especially with all this touchy-feely nonsense." The Secondo shook his head in mirth and left to inform the other bosses of the upcoming entertainment.

* * *

Back to the outside world, Gokudera walked into Tsuna's office only to find his beloved Tenth sleeping among the stacks of paperwork. The right-hand-man shook the brunette's back to wake him up.

"Umm, oh, hey G!" Tsuna opened his dazed chocolate orbs and blurted the first thing that came to mind.

"It's me, Gokudera, Tenth! Are you ok?" The concerned right-hand man placed his palm against Tsuna's forehead. The brunette soon came back to reality after the brush with his ancestor, the Secondo and Sir Ego.

"Yeah, I'm ok, Gokudera-kun." There was really no point in trying to explain why he had called Gokudera-kun by the First Storm's name. Besides, how could he go about describing the existence of these entities inside his head without sounding hysterical?

"It's almost time for the annual meeting, Tenth. Let's get ready!" Tsuna sighed softly, relieved that his best friend did not push for an explanation. Maybe Gokudera-kun just assumed that he was suffering from a mild nervous breakdown.

Well, who could blame him, right? Anyone who has lived through these meetings for the past ten years and did not suffer from something akin to a mental breakdown at the anticipation of them should be classified as a robot. Reluctantly, Tsuna went into preparation, changing his attire, stocking up on Hyper Dying Will pills and praying for a quick death if things came down to that.

* * *

At six in the evening, the twenty-four-year-old boss arrived at the grand meeting room. He had learned long ago never to be the last one to arrive at these kinds of gathering. Untold horrors and unimaginable destructions usually awaited him whenever he let all of his guardians stay together for more than five minutes.

He sat down at one end of the long antique table that had survived through the most violent times of Vongola history. To his immediate right, Gokudera-kun looked up from the paperwork to greet him. Next to his busy Storm was the content Rain guardian who, thanks to this peaceful future, did not lose his radiant smiles.

To his immediate left, the Sun guardian was enthusiastically discussing the sport news with Yamamoto from across the table. The teenage Lambo was sleeping or pretending to nap in his seat next to Ryohei. Trying to gather his thoughts before his personal tormentors appeared, Tsuna looked up at the sparkling chandelier whose warm light did not seem to reach his shivering spine and racing heart.

The young brunette ventured to glance at the backyard garden through the window behind him. He had hoped that Mukuro and Hibari-san's fight in the afternoon would not leave too much damage since one of them was an illusionist. Apparently, he had too much optimism. The sight that greeted him made a radioactive wasteland look more aesthetically pleasing. He turned away from the depressing scene.

Ten minutes later, one of the culprits arrived at the meeting room. Mukuro sauntered in with a self-satisfied smirk, accompanied by a happy Chrome. One seat away from Lambo, Chrome sat down with Mukuro taking the chair next to her.

A minute before the official time, the Cloud guardian confidently strode into the chamber alone. Blue-grey orbs haughtily surveyed the room's occupants before the skylark took his seat two chairs away from the smiling Yamamoto. The Mist and Cloud looked indifferent once everything settled down and people situated.

As Tsuna opened his mouth to welcome his guardians, the entrance door was forcefully kicked open, revealing the fully suited figure of the ever intimidating Xanxus. Tsuna stopped breathing in favor of gaping in shock and awe. The whole chamber was mesmerized as the Varia leader made his way to the other end of the long table. The young boss blinked in confusion before he realized who could have changed the violent Italian's mind. He was ready to call Squalo a miracle worker from now on.

Two leather-clad feet propped themselves on the mahogany table as their owner leaned back against his chair. Tsuna's chocolate orbs traveled from the expensive boots, along those elegant long legs, to the closed eyes of the Varia boss. He secretly envied the way Xanxus could imperiously sit on anything and make it look like his personal throne. After silently taking notes of his personal inadequacies, the sweet boss resumed his speech and began giving an overview of their meeting.

"This is pointless. I'm leaving." Five minutes into the meeting, Hibari stood up and announced his departure. Tsuna paused as the voices of the Primo and Sir Ego became louder and angrier by the minutes. _Tsunayoshi, you cannot let them treat you like this any longer! I will not tolerate this injustice towards my descendant! Show them who's boss, Tsuna! Let me take over right now!_

"Hibari-san, this is the last straw…" Tsuna decided to listen to his ancestor as he too, felt their righteous anger.

"That breaks the camel's back? Wait, are you the camel or…? Huh, I didn't know you're into bestiality. You should've told me earlier! I can easily assuage your 'frustration' if you know what I mean…" Mukuro interjected cheerfully; his red eye flashed with mischievousness.

"That's it!" Tsuna yelled to divert everyone's attention when he saw Gokudera's jaw dropped. He quickly popped a Hyper Dying Will pill in his mouth and Sir Ego surfaced with his gloriously blazing head.

"Sit down, Hibari! Do not interrupt me! From now on, you are to do things my ways or no way at all!" Sir Ego declared authoritatively, holding the Cloud's deadly gaze.

The skylark's initial amusement started to dissipate only to be replaced by fury. He slowly crouched down like a predator ready to pounce. The chamber was covered with a deadly silence; even Gokudera would not vocally encourage Tsuna's newest show of bravery.

"As for you, Mukuro, you are to respect my person! My mind will not be tainted by the likes of you. Seize all attempts to possess my body or face serious consequences!" Not giving Hibari a chance to respond, Sir Ego moved on to his next target. His intense gaze landed on the Mist whose narrowed eyes took on a darker shade.

Yamamoto looked back and forth between his best friend and his fellow guardian; his easy-going smile immediately dimmed. A worried Chrome put a hand on her simmering idol's clenched fist.

"Put your feet down, Xanxus! Like it or not, the Vongola and Varia are one. I am your boss, not the Ninth! You belong to my Famiglia!" Sir Ego pointed directly at the Varia boss; his authentic orange flame flared in response.

Xanxus slowly opened his crimson orbs. Twin pools of molten lava paralyzed the whole chamber. He leisurely lifted one leg high above the table as if to remove it as commanded. Instantly, he brought it down. The moment his heel hit the mahogany surface, the antique table cracked down along its length and left a cleared lane connecting Tsuna and the furious Varia leader. Even the darkest decades of the Vongola did not prepare the long table for this kind of violence.

The Sun guardian looked a the two long pieces of furniture that had now become the barrier between him and the ones across and decided to keep his silence. As Tsuna's closest guardians prepared for the inevitable fight, Xanxus languidly stood up from his chair, kicking it aside. Anticipation, murderous intent and tension compressed the air as they encircled the chamber.

"Kufufufufu…" Before everyone could reach for his favorite weapon, the Mist guardian's unexpected laughter rang loud and clear. All eyes zeroed in on the laughing Mukuro. With a sly smirk, he ignored the attention in favor of locking eyes with his longtime rival. Mismatched orbs twinkled as blue-grey ones gleamed in comprehension. It was as if sinister thoughts could transverse through telepathic communication.

Bemused, the Cloud turned his gaze toward the erupting volcano called Xanxus. Ten seconds of telepathy later, the Varia leader raised an eyebrow before inclining his head slightly.

"As you wish, Vongola Decimo." Mukuro offered his audience a mocking bow as he bid Chrome goodnight. Following the Mist, Hibari and Xanxus stormed out of the meeting room.

Lambo went back to his nap while the other three guardians exchanged confused looks. At the same time, the Hyper Dying Will pill expired. Sir Ego faded away, returning one very confused Tsuna in his place.

"Ano, did something happen here, guys?" Tsuna hesitantly asked while surveying the broken table and toppled chairs.

"You don't remember what happened, Tenth? Are you sure? You've said some… pretty… umm…" Gokudera stared incredulously at his beloved boss, not sure on how to report what had just occurred.

"Scary words…" A concerned Yamamoto added after his Storm, placing a comforting arm around the emerald-eyed guardian's shoulders.

"Sawada, that was some extreme declaration! Hope you're ready to the extreme! " Ryohei exclaimed as he pulled the shaken boss into a one-armed hug. Tsuna gulped loudly when Chrome patted his hands in sympathy.

"This is bad… z…z…z…" Lambo mumbled in his sleep right before the young boss made a quick exit for his bedroom.

* * *

That night, somewhere in an abandoned warehouse, three sinister figures gathered to discuss their scheme.

"Give me one fucking good reason to follow your plan." Xanxus disdainfully declared his skepticism after hearing Mukuro's evil plot.

"Because you will become the Vongola Boss by the end of this game. At the very least, we will all enjoy making Tsuna-kun eat his words." The Mist's malicious smile widened in the dark.

"Will you join me, gentlemen?" To answer the illusionist, the other two shadows nodded once. As they shook hands, their ominous chuckles chilled the cold air.

In his own bedroom, a sleeping Tsuna started hyperventilating in his slumber. Somewhere in the back of his mind, the brunette heard the chilling voice of Mukuro quoting Reborn.

"The strength of the Vongola Famiglia lies in the cooperation of its members…"

* * *

Thank you for reading this story! Please leave me with your thought/comment! I will do my best to update monthly.


	2. Dissociative Identity Disorder

I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.

I hope you will have a good laugh and let me know what you think!

**

* * *

**

**BACKFIRE**

**Chapter 2: Dissociative Identity Disorder**

"Good morning, Boss!" A voice smoother than Gokudera's poured into Tsuna's ears as its owner sauntered inside the office.

The young boss looked up and shivered slightly at the title Mukuro chose to address him. The Mist smiled as Tsuna nodded his greeting. The brunette briefly wished Reborn was here with him right now instead of returning later on tonight for his birthday celebration.

"_You're working with people who once tried to kill you. That's pretty insane!"_ Tsuna shuddered as Byakuran's warning from his dream last night replayed in the back of his head.

"Boss! I have thought about what you said yesterday. I apologize for mistreating you. From now on, please allow me to make amends and serve your best interests." The Mist guardian solemnly spoke before showing Tsuna the least creepy smile the don had ever received.

"Umm, ok. Sure, Mukuro…" The now twenty-five-year-old boss hesitantly agreed.

"Excellent! Coffee?" Without waiting for his answer, the illusionist retrieved the coffee pot and proceeded to refill Tsuna's empty cup. After adding cream and sugar, the brunette took a small sip. Deeming the hot liquid safe for consumption, Tsuna began to drink some more.

"May I announce our renewed contract to the Base?" Mukuro asked tentatively, reaching for the PA button on Tsuna's work phone. He paused to consider before agreeing to the simple request. The brunette resumed drinking his coffee as the Mist started his public statement.

"This is Rokudo Mukuro. Per our boss' executive order yesterday and his permission today, I will devote myself to all of his needs as the new right-hand-man." The sly guardian gave a small half-smirk as he glanced at Tsuna.

As the second sentence came to an end, the brunette boss got choked on his coffee. Seeing that his coughing and wheezing would not help matter, Tsuna hastily reached for the PA button. In his haste, the sweet boss dropped the still hot cup of coffee on his lap. He involuntarily let out a yelp and temporarily became unable to stop the Mist as he tried to get the burning liquid off his body.

"As such, I will help our beloved leader combat the serious mental illness he is currently suffering. Please do your best to support our boss through the course of his treatment and recovery!" Every speaker in the Vongola's Italian Base broadcasted all of Mukuro's statements which were also laden with Tsuna's muffled screaming in the background.

If there were any protesters or non-believers willing to defend Tsuna's sanity, they were really quiet about it. As the entire base fell into silence, Tsuna realized his badly contained howling in the latter part did not help his cause.

"What the hell are you talking about Mukuro?" The office door was kicked open as Gokudera barged in, fury written in his every movement. Tsuna allowed himself a smile of relief. If anything happened, he could always trust in his best friend's intellectual ability to counter Mukuro's baseless claims regarding his mental health.

"Like hell I'll let you be the right-hand-man! Tell the bastard, Boss, am I not your only right-hand-man?" Gokudera-kun looked pleadingly at him for assurance. _So much for someone to defend his sanity… _

"Gokudera-kun, I'd never…" Tsuna tried to ease his best friend's worry.

"You're not worthy of the title. How could you call yourself our beloved boss' right-hand-man and overlook this condition he's suffering?" The illusionist condescendingly asked the Storm as he gestured toward their boss.

"What the fuck…" Emerald eyes flashed angrily.

"Read this! Under 'Dissociative Identity Disorder', also known as 'Multiple Personality Disorder'. Are you aware of this, former right-hand-man?" Mukuro tossed a medical encyclopedia at the temperamental Storm. Tsuna held his tongue out of curiosity.

"As you can see, one of the symptoms is multiple distinct mannerisms or attitudes." Mukuro pointed out effortlessly.

"That's… That'd actually explain why Tenth seems like a whole different person during our battles and especially yesterday. At the meeting, when Boss ordered the three of you to…" Gokudera admitted when he looked up from the thick textbook.

"And distortion or loss of subjective time." The Mist nonchalantly ran a hand through his hair.

"Is that why Boss called me 'G' yesterday before the meeting? And spaced out randomly, hmm." The Storm's mumble was barely audible, but it was enough to diminish Tsuna's hope.

"Not to mention memory loss and frequent panic attacks." The trident user casually examined his finger nails.

"Right! Boss didn't remember what he said at yesterday's meeting. Tenth did have a lot of anxiety attacks and nervous reactions…" Gokudera recalled those undignified moments. _Gokudera-kun, it's called repressed memory. Some things are best not remembered… And, I do not randomly go into panic mode, it's because of the likes of Xanxus, Mukuro and Hibari-san…_Tsuna thought to himself.

"As well as lack of intimacy and personal connections." The illusionist smirked.

"Enough, Mukuro! I'm not suff…" Tsuna decided to assert his authority; he was running out of argument to defend his sanity.

"Oh my God! Is that why Tenth used to run around in his underwear during middle school? Boss, please forgive me! I was so blind. I… I didn't know you've been suffering for so long! Hic, I didn't notice you felt so disconnected back then. I am so sorry! I am truly unworthy! From now on, I'll do my best to help you or die trying!" With this tearful and heartfelt apology, Gokudera stormed out of Tsuna's office with the medical encyclopedia before the young boss could say anything else.

_Maybe, just maybe, Byakuran and Mukuro are right… I mean this is insane… I am insane…_

"You know, there's one funny bit: Auditory hallucinations of alternate personalities. Do you have…" Mukuro smugly turned toward Tsuna. Still stunned by all the factual evidences Gokudera-kun had just presented for his mental problem, Tsuna avoided the Mist's mismatched eyes.

At the same time, the Vongola Primo and Sir Ego were pressuring him to reject Mukuro's diagnosis and go into Hyper Dying Will mode to solve his current dilemma. Their shouting was getting too much for his inner self…

* * *

Due to Sir Ego and the Primo's "peer pressure", Tsuna looked up the Mist guardian one more time. There was something in Mukuro's perpetually snide smirk that rubbed him the wrong way this time. His mind snapped. His hands grabbed the Hyper Dying Will bottle and popped one pill into his mouth.

"Mukuro, you have a ten-second head start. Ten…" Tsuna transformed into Sir Ego. A bright orange flame adorned his head. Twin fire covered his fisted hands as he flew up from his seat.

Well prepared, the Mist had already jumped out the office's window before Sir Ego could count. While he was dropping down from the second floor, he found Yamamoto approaching the mansion from the desecrated backyard. The moment he landed, the illusionist dashed toward the human tranquilizer – his favorite nickname for the Rain.

"Yamamoto-kun! Have you heard about our boss' condition?" The Mist stopped right in front of the cheerful athlete.

"Hey, Mukuro! Yeah, Gokudera told me something like that…" The Rain offered his fellow guardian a carefree smile.

"Good! Come with me! Boss is still denying his sickness. Please help me calm him down!" Mukuro took the natural-born hitman by the arm and dragged the confused guardian with him on the run.

Sir Ego rounded the corner and found the Mist and Rain standing side by side. Floating in midair, Sir Ego debated the best way to incinerate the creep without harming his hapless best friend.

"Yamamoto-kun, don't you see our boss is setting himself on fire? Pyromania is one of the three traits of serial killers! Are you not the Rain guardian who washes away troubles? Please use your ability to extinguish the fire!" Mukuro hastily urged Yamamoto.

Sir Ego was quickly approaching, ten feet away from them and ten feet above ground.

"Splashing Rain!" The cheerful guardian executed one of his defensive moves. A whirlwind of water hit Sir Ego smack-dab in the face and cascaded over his body.

Due to the tranquilizing ability of Yamamoto's rain, Tsuna's Hyper Dying Will ran out of steam before the estimated time. The short brunette fell unceremoniously onto the backyard's wet lawn.

Gokudera rushed out of nowhere to tend to his tranquilized boss. Unexpectedly, the drenched Tsuna got up, dusted himself off and smiled at his best friend. Gokudera's jaw dropped as he stared into Tsuna's dazed chocolate orbs and the goofy grin plastered across his boss' muddy face.

"Umm, Mukuro? Are you sure we did the right thing? Tsuna looks a bit off…" The uncertain Rain turned to the happy Mist while the wobbly Tenth tiptoed around as if he was walking on air.

"Worry not, Yamamoto-kun! Thanks to your rain, our beloved boss is now stress-free. The tranquilizing effect will wear off in due time." The illusionist patted the baseball star's back.

"I guess… I'm gonna go help Gokudera. See ya tonight!" Yamamoto took off toward his confused partner and escorted the grinning Tsuna back to his chamber.

"Hey, Yamamoto! Isn't life so beautiful today? Haha…" The tranquilized boss greeted as his Rain and Storm tried to get him back inside. It seemed that the brunette had received some of Yamamoto's happy-go-lucky attitude together with the rain.

"Mukuro-sama, how come Boss sounds a lot like Yamamoto-kun? He looks strange, too." Chrome walked into the mansion's garden and found her idol staring at a patch of damp grass.

"Kufufufu… Here you go, Chrome dear! Please keep this safe for me." Mukuro smiled kindly at his Chrome as he handed Tsuna's Hyper Dying Will pill-bottle to her. The bottle had accidentally fallen out of their boss' pocket during his collision with the lawn.

"This is a drug that our beloved boss has been taking to cope with stress. I have just witnessed its destructive effects on boss' mental health. Yamamoto-kun was kind enough to help me intervene." The male Mist guardian gently patted Chrome's hands.

"For our boss' sake, would you please keep this vile substance away from him? At least until I deem it's safe to return it to boss?" The illusionist looked lovingly into Chrome's violet orbs.

"Definitely, Mukuro-sama! The girls and I will do our best to help Boss combat his mental illness and drug addiction." Chrome smiled at her idol as they walked back inside the mansion. Tsuna's bottle was stuffed in one of her boots.

* * *

The evening came soon enough. Tonight was his twenty fifth birthday celebration. Everyone gathered in the decorated first-floor dining room where there were abundant foods and drinks.

At a round table, Reborn who had just returned a couple of hours before was playing poker with his Arcobaleno friends. A grinning Tsuna occupied one of the empty sofas; the tranquilizing effect had yet been washed away. To the happy boss' right, Gokudera and Yamamoto sat down together on the nearby sofa.

The bustling chamber suddenly became quiet when Bel and Fran of the Varia showed up with Xanxus. No one uttered a sound as the dazed Tsuna put down his food and approached the Varia boss.

Still high on life and full of carefree attitude, the short brunette took Xanxus' hand and led the taller man toward his sofa. While Tsuna was offering the Varia leader finger foods and cocktail drinks, the other guests snapped out their amazement to either get back to their previous activity or watch the pair's interaction. Walking across the room, Mukuro narrowed his eyes at Xanxus before dragging a bored Fran away from the buffet table.

"That's not Xanxus! What are you doing here? I thought I told him to be here tonight." Mukuro lowered his voice and glared at his apprentice.

"Hey, Master. Unhappy are we? Boss ordered me to attend this party with senpai. Something about he and Captain Squalo have better things to do… Ewww…" After delivering his lines, the shorter illusionist took a bite out of a gooey cheese ball and proceeded to throw it at Bel's head.

"I wouldn't underestimate those two if I were you, brat. And, how can that illusion keep stuffing himself like that?" The Mist wondered out loud as he stared at the fake Xanxus. Given the Varia boss' infamous reputation, nobody dared to question the illusion's lack of etiquette.

"Jealous of my superior skills, Master? I gave my illusions autonomy. Something you'd never understand." Mukuro raised an eyebrow at his student's comment as he let the younger go.

In the meantime, Tsuna contently watched the Xanxus illusion gorging down on foods and drinks as he patted the Varia leader's back absentmindedly. Gokudera gasped when his beloved boss casually rubbed the fake Xanxus' head the way one would a cute pet. A concerned Yamamoto scratched the back of his head, feeling guilty that he might be responsible for Tsuna's carelessness.

Amidst the merrymaking, Basil arrived in a nice blue shirt and black slacks with a couple of presents in his hands. Haru and Kyoko also chose that time to approach Tsuna's sofa to wish him happy birthday.

"Happy Birthday, Boss! This is from me. I did not know about your birthday until this morning. Strange, Master and Lady Nana did not mention anything…?" An embarrassed Basil handed a small gift to Tsuna and shrugged off his own question.

"I like your shirt, Basil-san!" Haru complimented him as Kyoko smiled sweetly.

"Thank you, Lady Haru and Lady Kyoko! It was Master's gift. He said today feels like a special day and he wants to give me something nice." Basil beamed happily as he shared his story about his beloved Master, a.k.a. Tsuna's father.

"That's so sweet of him. Don't you think so, Tsuna-kun?" Kyoko asked while her eyes were still focusing on Basil. The two young women had just managed to control their blush and giddiness after being called 'lady'.

The brunette boss however, felt his inner tranquility being shaken. It could be due to either Yamamoto's Rain wearing off its effectiveness or the sad fact that his own dad gave someone else a gift on his birthday.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Lady Nana asked me to give this bento box to our young Lambo." The enthusiastic Italian showed the group Nana's special present.

"Come with us then! Lambo is just around here somewhere." Haru hooked her arms into Kyoko's left and Basil's right as she led them in the search for the lazy teenager. Left alone with the Xanxus illusion who was staring after the girls, Tsuna felt an ugly green monster took a bite of his heart.

_Inside his head, Sir Ego jabbed a finger into his inner self's back. The smaller Tsuna did not turn around to face the imposing blue wall of Rain water that temporarily separated them. Yamamoto's tranquilizing ability was dissipating; soon, Sir Ego and the other bosses' spirit would be able to reach the inner Tsuna. _

"_Why are you letting that parent-stealing, friend-robbing, girlfriend-snatching bastard get away?" Sir Ego yelled at him in frustration. Tsuna's inner self tried to reign in his tears._

"_My parents did not remember my birthday… Dad is one thing, but why Mom?" The smaller Tsuna lamented under his breath._

"_And why would she want to remember the most painful day of her life? How much more self-centered and insensitive can you possibly be, brat?" The only female boss appeared and glared at Tsuna's inner self and Sir Ego. _

_The Ottavo towered over Sir Ego, despite her slender stature. Sir Ego started shrinking out of fear._

"_Eep…!" The smaller Tsuna squeaked when the blue wall of water disappeared and left him dangerously close to the angry female boss' crossbow. _

"_You think this is tough? Try being a woman, sissy! You'd never survive motherhood, you little ingrate!" She was about to unleash her fury on them when the Ninth came to her side and distracted her._

"_There, there…" The Primo appeared next to the slightly-smaller-than-before Sir Ego and led him away. Tsuna's inner self exhaled softly as these uninvited guests inside his head took their leave._

Meanwhile, Gokudera and Yamamoto were watching their best friend and the Xanxus illusion from their own couch.

"Don't you think Boss is being too friendly with that bastard?" The scowling Storm sent the fake Xanxus a death glare when Xanxus started to pat the brunette's folded hands.

"But, isn't that what we've always wanted for the Vongola and Varia to get along?" Yamamoto glanced in his partner's direction with a grin.

"After what Tenth told him yesterday, Xanxus would more likely declare war than befriend Boss." The emerald-eyed guardian turned toward the Rain, itching to rescue his boss from the clutches of evil.

"Maybe that's what he needed to hear. Clear instructions on how to interact with us, you know? Like our fight in that alternate future, we got along way better after that." The Rain winked happily at his partner while feeding the temperamental Storm a piece of fatty tuna sushi.

"You mean the one during our battle with Gamma? But, that's different…" After swallowing the offered delicacy, the silver head responded with a faint blush. The baseball star chuckled.

"Ahem. Anyway, remember that Tenth is undergoing treatment. So, keep your insensitive comments to yourself and be supportive!" Slightly embarrassed, the Storm switched topic and advised his cheerful baseball idiot.

"Hai, hai! You're such a worrywart, Gokudera. Come, I think Lambo is gonna open his gift." Laughing, the Rain stood up, took his partner's hands and led the reluctant Storm away from his worries. Gokudera glanced back to see Xanxus nudging a drink into Tsuna's limb hands.

Gathering around Lambo, the Sun, Rain, Storm, Basil, Haru, Kyoko and Chrome waited for the youngest guardian to unwrap Nana's present.

"Cool, these are all of my favorites. Thanks, Mama!" The teenage Lambo removed the lid of the bento box and let the wonderful aroma of Nana's home-cooked food diffuse into the chamber. Sharing with the people around him, Lambo quickly finished the box in five minutes.

Suddenly, music flowed into the chamber. Taking this chance, Basil asked Kyoko for a slow dance. As the couples swayed gracefully around the room, a slightly envious Tsuna heaved a long sigh.

Exhausted from a long period of remaining in a constant haze of tranquility and exerting his cheerfulness, the young boss finished the drink in his hand and carelessly leaned on the person closest to him.

"Is there something going on between Tsuna and Xanxus, Kyoya?" In a dimly lit corner, Dino turned to the skylark for a clarification.

"Nothing, just following our boss' ways to the letter." The former prefect drawled with a snide half-smirk, blue-grey eyes transfixed on the questioned pair.

"Since when do you call Tsuna boss?" Dino's rich honey orbs widened in surprise.

"Since boss' wish becomes my command." Sipping his water, the Foundation leader's smirk took on a dangerous edge. The Cavallone boss wisely decided to keep his curiosity in check before moving onto a different subject matter.

As Tsuna was snoozing away, the Xanxus illusion ran his fingers through the soft brown mane with a wistful look on his face. Tsuna's guardians and friends stole discreet glances their way, unable to deny the sudden closeness between the Vongola boss and the Varia leader.

"Lussuria, are you trying to get killed? Boss will not like the rumors you've started here." Fran muttered indifferently to the kick boxer who was underneath the Xanxus illusion.

"But, he's so cute…" The normally flamboyant Varia member appeared saddened before releasing the brunette boss from his embrace and laying him down on the couch.

"Ushishi… let's go!" Bel smiled gleefully, unconcerned about the damage they might have done to Xanxus' reputation.

In another well concealed corner, Mukuro chuckled darkly as the three Varia members left the mansion.

"So, autonomy, hmm… You put the Xanxus illusion on Lussuria while letting the peacock do as he pleases. Not bad, my little apprentice." The Mist rubbed his chin contemplatively. This development would be useful to further his scheme…

That night, Tsuna received another visit from the angelic Byakuran who gave him a puzzling comment rather than a premonition.

* * *

Thank you for reading! Please leave me with your thought and comments.


End file.
